1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a split rim for temporarily attaching a pneumatic tire upon inspection or the like thereof.
2. Prior Art
Upon inspection or the like of a pneumatic tire, a split rim provided with first and second pieces are used. The first and the second pieces are attached, at a rim assembly station, to first and second bead portions of a tire to be inspected, respectively, and are then fastened to each other to form a tire/rim assembly. The assembly is conveyed to a tire inspecting machine installed at an inspection station, and connected to a shaft of the tire inspecting machine and given required inspection while being rotated integrally with the shaft.
Such a split rim has been used to attach a pneumatic tire or a solid tire to an industrial vehicle or the like. However, since both pieces are fastened to each other by holding inward flanges formed at inner ends in the axial direction of the first and the second pieces, respectively, with bolts and nuts, there arises a problem as follows. That is to say, when used for inspection or the like of the pneumatic tire, only a pneumatic tire with a predetermined inter-bead distance (so-called “foot breadth”) can be attached. As a result, various types of rims must be prepared and stored according to the types of pneumatic tire with different inter-bead distance, thereby giving rise to a problem that work becomes time-consuming, a large storage place is needed and costs are increased.